Wow: nor do you ever pass up the opportunity to slate Beckham. If you don’t know who supplied the notice or why, it seems you can’t know it is Beckham looking for publicity in this case. You certainly, however, know how much attention anything that includes his name garners, which may be the reason that you so often manage to slip criticism of Beckham into columns that seem to have no connection to him at all. I’ve found that curious in the past, but a dig in this case seems a bit more inappropriate than than the usual gratuitous banter.

Kingsnake

Never pass up an opportunity to slate the Pool Boy just like he never passes up an opportunity to media whore himself …

On the one hand, Beckham is doing a good thing by visiting the troops in Afghanistan, regardless of his motive. He’s already far ahead of Capello, Rooney, Terry, Ferdinand, Gerard, et al in that regard.

On the other hand, Leiweke’s stomach acid must be working overtime after hearing about his biggest investment going to a war-torn nation. What would Tom and Katie say? What would Herbalife say? What would the suite holders think?

Then again, anything that energizes Leiweke’s stomach acid is always a good thing. 😀

Jack Sullivan

Have some perspective boys. I make no claim to be above anyone else in my possibly unhealthy obsession with sport. But, along with all of you, I can enjoy that from the safety of the stands, in the comfort of my home and family, chatting away (again quite safely) with you lot on these blogs. Obviously the kids Beckham is visiting most certainly cannot. If his visit brings any of them a moment of diversion or a small connection to what they have left behind and know they may never return to, it is unequivocally excellent.

Since you do, however, equivocate, I would say that Beckham has no need to raise his profile anywhere in the world outside of the US, and visiting British troops in 115 degree heat in the dessert hardly seems either most convenient or productive way to polish his image here. Sometimes it just is what it is — no matter how strong the motivation to twist it.

Joseph D’Hippolito

Well said, Jack. We take our freedom for granted far too much in the West.

I’m reminded of a line in the 1969 remake of “Goodbye, Mr. Chips,” starring Peter O’Toole. O’Toole’s character (“Chips”) was talking with a fellow teacher (played by the late Michael Bryant, a superb and underrated British actor) about the latter being forced to return to Germany under Hitler’s orders. From memory, this is how the dialogue went:

O’Toole: “Disobey”

Bryant: “I have a mother in Dresden. She’s an old lady, I know, but…”

O’Toole: “They wouldn’t…”

Bryant: “They WOULD. They would, my dear fellow and we both know it. Oh, how lucky you English are, and how little you appreciate it.”

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